1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of article supports, and more specifically to a support for holding a container relative to a ladder.
2. Description of the Related Art
The art has provided a variety of arrangements for releasably holding a container such as a paint can relative to a ladder.
An example is U.S. Pat. No. 3,300,167 wherein a strap of sheet metal is secured to a vertically-oriented can, the strap being draped over the steps of a ladder, and the strap then terminating at a handle portion. This patent does not provide a means for securing the can holder to the ladder rung.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,964,601 provides a container for attachment to the side of a ladder, this arrangement secures the container to the ladder by way of elastic bands that wrap about one of the two vertical side rails of an inclined ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,580,752 shows a can that hangs from a ladder rung by the use of a vertically extending hook. An anti-sway device encircles a lower portion of the can, and then secures the can to the next rung down on an inclined ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,525 provides a vertical member having an upper hook for engaging an upper ladder rung, and a having a lower horizontal member that supports the bottom of a paint can. This lower horizontal member also extends so as to engage the next lower rung of the inclined ladder. The can is secured to the vertical member.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,278,148, 3,239,181, 3,312,441, 3,332,653, 4,036,463 and 4,560,127 relate to can holders of various different constructions in which a can is secured relative to the generally vertical side rail of a ladder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,822 provides a paint can holder for a ladder wherein an inclined member extends between two adjacent ladder rungs of an inclined ladder and a horizontal member ties this member to the ladder's side rail. The paint can is secured to the inclined member.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,895,772, 4,403,368 and 4,787,586 provide devices that support a paint can vertically between an inclined ladder's two side rails by providing a support mechanism that extends between two adjacent horizontal ladder rungs.
While the art as exemplified above has been generally successful for its limited intended purposes, the need remains in the art for a paint can assembly which is adapted to be releasably attached to a ladder, wherein a relatively wide, adjustable, U-shaped, spring-like strap is attached to, or extends from, the side of the paint can, and bents down to form a downward facing U-shape so as to slip over, and snugly conform to a horizontal ladder rung, wherein a resilient cord or an equivalent means is attached to the bottom portion of the can body so that tension that is applied to this cord, as the cord is stretched over the lower end of the strap, operates to secure the can to the ladder, wherein a removable cover is provided for the paint can, wherein a disposable liner lines the can body, and wherein a resilient cover is provided to convert a ladder rung having a circular cross section into a ladder rung having a generally rectangular cross section.